Originally Posted by
kevino
Nice resort, but too expensive and too isolated for me. It's a hassle getting driven to the room in a golf cart, and still having to walk a ways to the Deluxe Pavillion. At 30% occupancy the rate was still 5100 b, which is twice the rate at the Sheraton Hua Hin.
Plats. get a nice breakfast, but lots of the room rates already include breakfast anyway.
Welcome amenity is free internet in the room or 500 points. There are computers at the Sheraton Link office open from 8 am to 8 pm. They need to provide you with a password, which sometimes doesn't work.
Free shuttle to the shopping center in town at noon and six pm. They are not supposed to pick you up from there though.
I prefer the Marriott in town since it's 40% cheaper, has an executive lounge, and is next to a shopping center. The Sheraton is a nicer property than the Marriott though.
Kevin,
I do like the Sheraton better than any other properties in Pattaya. Platinum also receives VIP treatment - upgrade to Deluxe Pavillion, bottle of wine on arrival, breakfast, Thai sweets each evening in addition to turndown sweets and daily fruit basket rather than only once on arrival for others.
I usually request a pavillion close to the main building - I had 503 last week, which is closer to the restaurant than any other room.
I agree that it's a bit too far from town for those without transport, but many regular guests either rent a scooter in town for 500bt, or a car. I usually rent a car in BKK and drive down myself. It makes getting around Pattaya a lot easier and it's near impossible to get lost there. If you take advantage of booking ahead, there are rates as low as 3900. I paid 4500, prepaid a month in advance.
This isn't my favourite Sheraton but it's the best hotel in Pattaya, for now. The only thing the Marriott has over it is location (if you want to be in the middle of town while at a resort) and the breakfast, which I always enjoy more at the Marriott. The pools and pavilions at the Sheraton are far better than the Marriott pool and Terrace Suites (the closest comparison) and the pavilions are at least 25-30% cheaper at the Sheraton. The Amari Tower at the far north of Beach Rd has pleasant junior suites but they are the same price as the Sheraton pavilions and the service is not the same standard, breakfast is awful and the place feels like a huge 4 star hotel rather than a relaxing resort. The new Hilton is well located for shopping, but again, it's a tower on top of a mall - not a resort feel. For these reasons, Sheraton still gets my vote, even though I need to rent a car to be there. Of course, you need a car much more at Hua Hin as there is nothing to do near any of the resorts, and no transport.